Neuropathic Pain and Operant Conditioning of Cutaneous Reflexes After SCI

Part of paid clinical trials in Charleston, South Carolina.

Sponsor
Medical University of South Carolina
Study ID
NCT05492188
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

  • Neurological Injury
  • Neuropathic Pain
  • Pain
  • Spinal Cord Injuries

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Operant Conditioning of Cutaneous Reflexes — BEHAVIORAL
    This is a training intervention in which people with a spinal cord injury are trained to change (increase or decrease) the activity of a certain spinal reflex. By changing this reflex, it is hypothesized that individuals can reduce pain due to spinal cord injury.

Study Details

The purpose of the second part of the study is to examine the effect of reflex training in the leg to decrease neuropathic pain. For this, the researchers are recruiting 15 individuals with neuropathic pain due to spinal cord injury to participate in the reflex training procedure. The study involves approximately 50 visits with a total study duration of about 6.5 months (3 months for baseline and training phases followed by 1 month and 3 month follow-up visits).

Key Dates

Start date
Mar 27, 2023
Status verified
Oct 2025
Primary completion
Oct 1, 2026
Completion
Oct 1, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment
15 participants (estimated)
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: Operant Conditioning of Cutaneous Reflexes
    Each participant completes 6 baseline sessions and 30 conditioning sessions. In each of the 30 conditioning sessions, while the participant is standing nerves in the lower leg and ankle are stimulated to activate the reflex. The participant attempts to change the reflex activity based on visual feedback. In this way the cutaneous reflex (skin reflex) will be changed to decrease neuropathic pain resulting from spinal cord injury.

Primary Outcome Measure

Change in minimum stimulation intensity required to barely detect the sensation (perceived threshold, perT) [ Time Frame: change from baseline to immediately after completing the training protocol, at 1 month follow up and at 3 months follow up ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Medical University of South CarolinaCharlestonSouth Carolina29425
Blair Dellenbach, MSOT
843-792-6313

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By research site
Medical University of South Carolina· Charleston, SC

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